2023 Writers Strike - An Online Chronicle
Not since the 2007/8 strike has the US and Film industry seen a strike of this magnitude. In mid April, members of the The Writers Guild of America voted to go on strike if the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) fails to reach a satisfactory agreement with the WGA by May 1.
After 6 weeks of negotiation between the guild and the Alliance (that represents major studios such as Amazon Studios, Apple Studios, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, the Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery) they were unable to come to agreement.
The WGA have laid out where the negotiations have broken down and have called a strike.
WGA Negotiations—Status as of May 1, 2023
The Board of Directors of the @WGAwest and the Council of the @WGAeast, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2.
Immediately ripples from the picket lines began affecting production. As with previous strikes, the world of late night was first to be affected but over time, other productions such as soap operas and dramas will be further affected. Were unlikely to see major changes to film slates until later in the year… depending on how long the strike lasts.
In 2007/8 the strike lasted 100 days. The industry lost around $2billion dollars and late night stars were paying staff out of their pockets.
This is an attempt to chronicle the strikes from news to online discourse.
Impact On Productions
As the strike begins, scripted productions will go dark, with schedules pushed back and even face the potential of shows and films being shelved or slated for later release.
Productions Affected
Late Night Shows that have gone Dark:
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
The Late Show (CBS)
Tonight (NBC)
Late Night (NBC)
Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Other Productions Shut Down
Abbott Elementary - The news was announced by show writer Brittani Nichols, who, along with the other writers, was set to return to the writers' room on May 2nd
The Talk - The show has gone dark but ‘The panel show will continue to run previously recorded fresh episodes, which already had been scheduled to air this week’
Big Mouth - The Netflix animated series was six weeks into writing the 8th and final season of the show. The creators would have finished writing in August without a strike.
Cobra Kai - Season 6 of the popular series has closed down it’s writers room.
Yellowjackets - Ashley Lyle tweeted that progress on series 3 of the drama stopped after ‘one day’
“It was amazing, and creatively invigorating, and so much fun, and I’m really excited to get back to it as soon as the WGA gets a fair deal,”
Hacks - Hacks Season 3 shuts down production throughout the duration of the Writers Guild of America strike.
Unstable - production paused due to writers strike.
Community - Movie Delayed By WGA Strike.
Loot -Shuts Down as Striking Writers Disrupt Production
Blade - Marvel pauses pauses pre-production.
The Venery of Samantha Bird - Production on hold for two episodes earlier than the finale.
Evil- Wraped up filming on Season 4 earlier than anticipated. After the set faced disruptions by picketing Writers Guild members.
Stranger Things- Delays Due to Writers Strike
May 2nd 2023 - Day 1
Jimmy Fallon ‘wasn’t even at meeting’ when staff were told they weren’t getting paid post the first week of strikes.
He wasn’t even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won’t get paid after this week. @jimmyfallon please support your staff. Had fun bowling with ya last week, but a fun party won’t pay my rent -@skobos
Reprorts that Seth Meyers is going to ‘take care’ of his staff and crew.
Seth Meyers was in their zoom production meeting and that he is going to try and take care of his staff and crew after NBC stops paying. -@skobos
Rob Lowe on the picket line outside of the Paramount lot in LA today: “We’re only as good as the writing we get” #WritersStrike
May 3rd 2023 - Day 2
Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers Help Pay Crew Amid Production Hiatus
Media company stocks see a muted response.
Shares of media companies stayed relatively tranquil Wednesday amid the work stoppage imposed by the WGA’s writers strike and another interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve.
Producers of HBO’s House of the Dragon have said that production of the show in the UK won’t be affected as “scripts on the hit show have been done for some time”. However this has been disputed by some who claim that scripts are not ‘finished’ even when production begins. It is true to say that edits and dialog changes are made while shows are in production, even on set on the day. This is even more true for multi camera comedies where lines can change between takes for a better comedic outcome.
The same is reportedly true for the The Walking Dead spinoffs plus Andor season 2 which are confirmed to have completed scripts in the can and ready for filming. Once again, the strike means that they cannot undergo rewrites.
“Writers with disabilities expect to lose career prospects and momentum, as well as a potential $2 million in earnings, according to a survey by Inevitable Foundation.”
Writers in the UK are seeing clarity on working for big US networks and streamers.
Snoop Dog comes out in support of writers and takes ‘Aim At ‘F*cked Up’ Streaming Models’
Shonda Rhimes Shows Support for WGA Strike, Says Writers Being Unable to Make a Livable Wage “Is a Problem”
May 4th 2023 - Day 3
Hollywood writers strike
With speculation about how schedules and streaming drops could change over the coming months. Addie Morfoot at Variety writers about how the strike could benefit documentary makers while the The Daily from the New York Times published an explainer episode, that included reminiscing about how pervious writers strikes in the 80’s and 200’s gave the world reality shows like Cops and Donald Trump hosting a celebrity version of The Apprentice.
Bob Bakish Says Paramount Global Is Prepared for Ongoing Writers Strike: ‘We Have a Lot in the Can’
Paramount CEO on Impact of Writers Strike: “Consumers Really Won’t Notice Anything for a While”
Patricia Arquette voices support after TV and film writer walk-out: "I love the writers and I understand what they're fighting for," she said.
Striking Writers Are on the Front Line of a Battle Between AI and Workers
U.K. Writers Told They Can Work on Pre-Existing Streamer Projects But Can’t Secure (discouraged from securing) New Work During WGA Strike
Hollywood Studios Start to Cut Pay for Producers Amid Strike.
Drew Barrymore Drops Out As Host Of The MTV Awards To Stand In Support Of The Writers Strike.
Nick Khan Confirms The Writers' Strike Won't Affect WWE TV.
“Our writers are not members of the guild, so there is no effect on us whatsoever. Of course we are supportive of the writers who are members of the guild and their efforts, and we are hopeful a deal can be reached between them and the other side in short order.”
‘Don’t you wanna know how Yellowjackets ends?’: the best signs at the writers’ strike
'SNL' Booked Kieran Culkin and Jennifer Coolidge as Final Season 48 Hosts Before Writers' Strike Shutdown
‘Rings of Power’ to Finish Filming Season 2 Amid Writers Strike Without Showrunners on Set
Hollywood insiders predict writers strike to drag on through summer.
“There’s no driving force to get a deal done now. I think it will go on for a while.”
May 5th 2023 - Day 5
Jenna Ortega mocked during writers’ strike for scathing remarks about Wednesday script
“‘There were times on that set where I almost became unprofessional in a sense, where I just started changing lines.”
Doctor Who filming is set to continue amidst the Writers Guild of America's (WGA) strike despite the involvement with Disney.
Hollywood thinks it can divide and conquer the writers’ strike. It won’t work - James Schamus
Actor and comedian Pete Davidson delivered pizza to members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in Brooklyn, New York
Studios (Warner Bros. and Disney) Demand Showrunners Work During Writers Strike
Black TV Writer Breaks Down the Dreaded "Mini Rooms" and Why The Hollywood Writers' Strike Matters. "You want to profit off of diverse stories while not giving us a piece of the pie," says Franchesca Ramsey.
Glenn Close speaks from Berkshire shareholders meeting on Hollywood writers strike and A.I.
May 6th 2023 - Day 6
This historic writers’ strike matters for everyone – not just Hollywood
“The contract that the writers are striking for could set a powerful precedent that AI must work for people, rather than being used to marginalize people to juice profits”
May 7th 2023 - Day 7
Jennifer Aniston expresses support for WGA strike
Entertainment industry loses $10 billion in one day because of writers' strike. Those companies that have been affected by the industrial action saw their shares tumble yesterday, as the stock market became increasingly concerned about the strike.